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<strong>Hydro</strong>’s dominant position is coming to an end<br />
in a historic ‘home,’ but industry lives on<br />
“I don’t want to say anything about whether<br />
it is right or wrong. It is an international trend.<br />
We may find change difficult, but restructuring<br />
has always been part of our existence,” says<br />
Sem.<br />
“If we had not made the changes that we<br />
have done here at Herøya over the past 25<br />
years, there would not have been much left<br />
of us. The creation of <strong>Hydro</strong> Industrial and<br />
Business Parks has been extremely impor-<br />
tant, with the focus on innovation and shared<br />
services. I hope <strong>Hydro</strong> will remain the parks’<br />
landlord and operator,” says Bakke.<br />
“We have probably placed too much reliance<br />
on heavy industry and the security provided by<br />
<strong>Hydro</strong> here. But now growth must take place<br />
in other forms. The closure of the magnesium<br />
Arthur Frank Bakke, leader of the local union,<br />
Herøya Arbeiderforening, and former general<br />
manager of <strong>Hydro</strong>’s Herøya facility, Søren Sem,<br />
feel sad that <strong>Hydro</strong> is on its way out of the<br />
Grenland area, but believe that the restructuring<br />
process will create secure new jobs.<br />
plant showed that people are concerned about<br />
the fate of the industry – 10,000 people turned<br />
out to protest.”<br />
Sem adds: “That union representatives<br />
and management have worked together has<br />
been crucial to our success in attracting new<br />
businesses here. The unions deserve credit for<br />
thinking strategically, not just concentrating on<br />
pay and benefit issues.”<br />
“Our members understand that you have<br />
to be competitive if you are going to attract<br />
investment,” says Bakke.<br />
Both men agree that focus would have<br />
been difficult to achieve if <strong>Hydro</strong> were to con-<br />
tinue operating all the activities at Herøya.<br />
“These and all the other industrial compa-<br />
nies in the Grenland area now need to fight<br />
for adequate framework conditions. If the gas<br />
pipeline comes to Grenland, which I strongly<br />
believe it will do, the area will flourish still fur-<br />
ther,” adds Bakke.<br />
“And I would like to point out that Grenland<br />
is the jewel in Norway’s crown, both with re-<br />
gard to industrial development and as a place<br />
to live – with easy access to the coast, forests<br />
and mountains,” says Sem.<br />
hi! > Tom Karl Andersen<br />
photo > Gisle Nomme<br />
A <strong>changing</strong> Innovation <strong>Hydro</strong> hi! 25<br />
<strong>Hydro</strong> may leave, but jobs remain
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